What happens when another fitness and nutrition coach looks at rapid fat loss and thinks, “There’s no way I’d put a woman on calories that low”… and then decides to try it herself?

In this episode, I’m joined by fellow coach Sarah Krieger, who had been watching my clients use my rapid fat loss approach to lose weight and, more importantly, maintain those results. She wanted to understand what was actually happening, so she joined us and went through the process herself.

Sarah shares the entire experience: starting with a feed-up at maintenance, eating more than she expected, having more energy, better sleep and more productive gym sessions.

Then moving into a 14-day aggressive deficit, navigating hunger, and ultimately losing almost 6 pounds and more than 7 inches. She also fit into pants she couldn’t wear just a month earlier.

But the biggest takeaway wasn’t the weight loss.

As Sarah put it, “You cannot bullshit your way out of 900 calories.” The process forced her to recognize the difference between actually being in a calorie deficit and thinking she was in one.

We talk about why this approach goes against so much of what coaches have traditionally been taught, why the feed-up matters, what Sarah learned about her hunger and snacking habits, why strength training and protein are non-negotiable, and why this protocol is absolutely not appropriate for everyone.

And now that she’s experienced it herself? Sarah says there are clients in her own coaching practice she believes could benefit from it too.

This is a candid coach-to-coach conversation about rapid fat loss, what surprised Sarah most, and why sometimes a short, very intentional phase can teach you more about your eating habits than months of trying to “be good.”

To get started on YOUR weight loss journey, fill out a coaching application and lets see if you're a good fit: https://go.katalystfitness.net/fitafcoachingapp

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you so much for listening, please share with a friend and subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

If you want to see how I can help you on your journey, book a quick 10-15 minute call so we can chat about your goals!
https://www.menopotmeltdown.com/quickchatnow

Now accepting clients! Fit AF 90 Day Program

https://go.katalystfitness.net/fit-after-fifty

Free Menopause Fat Loss Made Simple with Macros Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kathykatalyst/?ref=share

For all my social links: https://go.katalystfitness.net/kathykatalyst

Do you have a question that you would like answered on the show? Please ask your question here:
https://go.katalystfitness.net/podcast-question-entry

Have a personal question? Email me at kathycote9142@comcast.net

Check out the Mastering Menopause Macros Course on making weight loss in menopause easy by tracking macros. All the tips and tricks that my clients and I have used!

https://www.menopotmeltdown.com/maste...

Cutting Through the BS: A Nuanced Look at Fat Loss, Training & Health with Andrew Coates

“I’m doing everything right. I eat healthy. I exercise. So why am I STILL not making progress?”

If you’ve ever felt that way—especially in midlife—you’ll want to hear Andrew Coates’ answer.

Andrew is a personal trainer, writer, speaker, and host of the Lift Free and Diet Hard podcast, and he’s known for something we desperately need more of in the fitness and health space: nuance.

In this episode, we cut through some of the biggest claims and absolutes being thrown around online about fat loss, hormones, menopause, cortisol, cardio, heavy lifting, GLP-1s, peptides, supplements, and more.

We also get into why a grain of truth can so easily become “THE truth” on social media—and how empathy, fear, and frustration can make questionable advice incredibly convincing.

Andrew shares how he decides who to trust, why he intentionally surrounds himself with experts who challenge his thinking, and some of the people he recommends following, including Dr. Jen Gunter, Amanda Thebe, Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple, Dr. Dwayne Jackson, Dr. Crystal Guevara, and Dr. Spencer Nadolsky.

We also tackle:

• What menopause actually changes—and what it doesn’t
• Hormones, calories, and body-fat distribution
• The cortisol and cardio conversation
• Heavy lifting and training intensity
• GLP-1s, protein, resistance training, and muscle loss
• Alcohol, sleep, and fat loss
• Peptides, collagen, supplements, and “shiny object” syndrome
• Zone 2 vs. higher-intensity cardio, steps, and NEAT
• How to recognize credible voices in a very noisy industry

This isn't an episode about choosing another camp.

It's about learning to look at fitness, nutrition, and health with more context, more critical thinking, and a whole lot less BS.

About Andrew Coates:
Andrew is a personal trainer, online coach, fitness writer, speaker, and host of Lift Free and Diet Hard. With more than 23,000 hours of hands-on coaching experience, his work has appeared in Men’s Health, T Nation, Muscle & Fitness, BarBend, and other major fitness publications.

Listen to Lift Free and Diet Hard:
https://andrewcoatesfitness.com/podcast/

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you so much for listening, please share with a friend and subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

If you want to see how I can help you on your journey, book a quick 10-15 minute call so we can chat about your goals!
https://www.menopotmeltdown.com/quickchatnow

Now accepting clients! Fit AF 90 Day Program

https://go.katalystfitness.net/fit-after-fifty

Free Menopause Fat Loss Made Simple with Macros Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kathykatalyst/?ref=share

For all my social links: https://go.katalystfitness.net/kathykatalyst

Do you have a question that you would like answered on the show? Please ask your question here:
https://go.katalystfitness.net/podcast-question-entry

Have a personal question? Email me at kathycote9142@comcast.net

Check out the Mastering Menopause Macros Course on making weight loss in menopause easy by tracking macros. All the tips and tricks that my clients and I have used!

https://www.menopotmeltdown.com/maste...

Are you lifting weights consistently but wondering if you’re actually training hard enough—or if your form is holding you back?

In this episode of Mastering Menopause, I’m sharing one of the simplest tools I use with my clients (and with my own coach!) to get more out of strength training: film your sets.

A quick video can tell you SO much more than you think. Are you using momentum instead of the muscle you’re trying to work? Is your form starting to break down? Could you actually lift heavier? Are you stopping a set with five reps left in the tank when you thought you only had two?

I break down how I use form videos to assess technique, intensity, and reps in reserve (RIR) and decide whether it’s time to increase the weight, decrease it, or simply clean up the movement.

We also talk about why you shouldn’t be doing the exact same workout with the exact same weights week after week and expecting your body to change. If you want to build muscle, look more toned, and change your body composition after 50, progressive overload matters—and that means tracking what you’re doing.

I’ll also explain why your strength can feel completely different from one workout to the next depending on sleep, carbs, stress, fatigue, and recovery—and why one unexpectedly strong day might be the perfect opportunity to go for a PR.

And if filming yourself in the gym feels awkward? I have something to say about that too. 😉

In this episode:

00:00 Client Form Check
00:20 Show Intro
00:37 Why Film Your First Set
02:03 Fix Your Form Fast
02:52 How I Use Video Feedback With Clients
04:49 Getting Over Feeling Awkward on Camera
05:27 Gym Culture, Phones & Tripods
07:13 Send Me Your Set
08:41 Why You Need to Track Your Weights & Reps
10:51 Energy Swings, Recovery & PR Days
12:41 Your Challenge + Wrap-Up

Your challenge: Film your first working set. Watch it back. Look at your form, pay attention to your reps in reserve, and ask yourself: Could I have done more?

Because if your goal is to get stronger, build muscle, and look more toned after 50, simply showing up isn’t enough. We want to progress.

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you so much for listening, please share with a friend and subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

If you want to see how I can help you on your journey, book a quick 10-15 minute call so we can chat about your goals!
https://www.menopotmeltdown.com/quickchatnow

Now accepting clients! Fit AF 90 Day Program

https://go.katalystfitness.net/fit-after-fifty

Free Menopause Fat Loss Made Simple with Macros Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kathykatalyst/?ref=share

For all my social links: https://go.katalystfitness.net/kathykatalyst

Do you have a question that you would like answered on the show? Please ask your question here:
https://go.katalystfitness.net/podcast-question-entry

Have a personal question? Email me at kathycote9142@comcast.net

Check out the Mastering Menopause Macros Course on making weight loss in menopause easy by tracking macros. All the tips and tricks that my clients and I have used!

https://www.menopotmeltdown.com/maste...